These 3 sectors could be in focus next year in Washington — no matter who wins on Tuesday

The 2026 campaign has featured bipartisan calls for action on pharmaceuticals, the housing market, and AI data centers, a sign that this trio of sectors may be in focus in Washington no matter which party prevails on Tuesday.

The critical comments are especially notable coming from Republicans. Democratic rhetoric about reining in big business is nothing new, but the GOP's focus indicates both an increased willingness within the party to adopt a populist stance and a potential openness to strike deals in the new power-sharing landscape.

And the high likelihood of Democrats winning control of at least one chamber of Congress could also elevate these issues — with or without President Trump's support.

While Democrats are now strongly favored to win a majority in the House in next week's midterms, the Senate is less clear, and a 60-vote threshold there means action would require bipartisan buy-in within any scenario.

That is always a heavy lift in today's increasingly polarized Washington, but the housing issue provided proof of concept this year, after a major piece of legislation passed and became law despite Trump's refusal to sign it .

The coming year is likely to feature "meaningful opportunities and risks for key sectors," Stifel chief Washington policy strategist Brian Gardner wrote in a recent note to clients.

He suggested tech companies and data center operators will face challenging headlines, but "risks are low that Congress would pass heavy-handed legislation ... we expect that it would enact a light-touch framework."

He added that the healthcare sector could be in closer focus, writing "a change in power on Capitol Hill could be seen as a negative for pharmaceuticals as Democrats and the White House might agree to further regulate drug prices."

Calls to 'put the squeeze on Big Pharma'

Pharmaceuticals are a prime example of this dynamic, with a high volume of campaign-trail rhetoric coming from both parties.

GOP Senate hopeful Mike Rogers of Michigan cut an ad saying "the pharmaceutical companies are ripping American families off," while Iowa Republican Ashley Hinson is pledging to "put the squeeze on Big Pharma."

That means — regardless of whether Rogers, Hinson, or their Democratic opponents win next Tuesday — openly critical lawmakers will head to Washington amid prominent areas of bipartisan agreement on regulating drug companies.

One dramatic and notable bill, titled the Break Up Big Medicine Act, would take aim at vertical integration in the healthcare system. It is being pushed by two lawmakers who agree on little else: Republican Josh Hawley and Democrat Elizabeth Warren.